Can Leaders Really Develop Empathy?
Alison Lee
May 20, 2025
Why empathy matters
Empathy is crucial for leadership, but many wonder: can leaders who don't naturally exhibit empathy develop it? The good news is, yes—empathy is a skill that can be cultivated.
Leadership development matters more than ever. According to Gallup's 2023 Global Workplace Report, only 23% of employees globally are engaged at work, and 59% are "quiet quitting"—doing the bare minimum without emotional investment. This disengagement costs businesses globally $8.8 trillion annually, or 9% of global GDP.
The State of Workplace Empathy Study found that 93% of employees say they would stay with a more empathetic employer. Let's explore how leaders can develop this crucial skill.
Discover how empathy transforms leadership, creating stronger connections with teams and driving better business outcomes.
The Business Case for Empathy
Research consistently highlights empathy as a cornerstone of effective leadership. By understanding and addressing team members' emotions and challenges, empathetic leaders create cultures where people feel valued and engaged.
Real Impact: Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, prioritized empathy in reshaping Microsoft's culture. This focus led to increased collaboration and innovation, contributing to Microsoft's valuation soaring past $2 trillion.
From Cold to Warm Empathy
Empathy comes in two forms: Cold Empathy - recognizing others' emotions without necessarily feeling them, and Warm Empathy - a deeper, emotional connection.
The Transition: With practice, cold empathy can evolve into warm empathy. This shift happens when leaders consistently practice empathetic behaviors, like active listening or showing appreciation for team members, and begin to internalize these actions.
3 Strategies to Build Empathy in Leaders
Training Programs
Structured soft skills training provides leaders with practical tools for building empathy. For example, Salesforce integrated emotional intelligence training into their leadership programs, resulting in a 36% increase in employee engagement scores.
Key Focus: The most effective programs break down difficult skills like "difficult conversations" into small, actionable blocks that leaders can practice and implement immediately.
Personalized Coaching
Personalized coaching helps leaders move from awareness to action. It provides tailored guidance that addresses individual strengths and growth areas.
Success Story: We worked with a CTO who had a 50% turnover rate in his leadership team due to communication struggles. Personalized coaching helped him connect better with his team, reducing turnover to just 13%.
Mindfulness Practices
Mindfulness enhances self-awareness, a key component of empathy. By regularly reflecting on emotions and behaviors, leaders become more attuned to their team's needs.
Leadership Example: Jim Hackett at Ford leveraged empathy to guide the company through a significant transformation toward autonomous vehicles. By fostering open communication and understanding employee needs, Hackett helped align diverse teams and steer Ford into new areas of growth.
Final Thoughts
Empathy is a learnable skill that transforms leadership. Starting with actionable behaviors, leaders can cultivate empathy and see its impact—stronger relationships, improved engagement, and better business outcomes.
Whether it begins with "cold empathy" or mindfulness exercises, anyone can improve their empathy and become a more connected, effective leader. The key is consistent practice and a genuine commitment to understanding your team's experiences and perspectives.
Sources
- Forbes, "Satya Nadella's Leadership Transformation at Microsoft," (2023).
- Harvard Business Review, "Satya Nadella on Transforming Leadership," (2023).
- Business Insider, "Jim Hackett's Leadership at Ford: Navigating the Future of Mobility," (2023).
- Gallup, "State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report," (2023).
- Businessolver, "State of Workplace Empathy," (2023).
